Thermostatic arch flow-regulator.



F. H. HOPKINS.

THERMOSTATIC ARCH FLOW REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2B i914.

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. H. HOPKINS. THERMOSTATIC ARCH FLOW REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILEDNOV.28|19l4.

1,172,709. Peten/eed Feb.22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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A v A f FRANK I-I. HOPKINS, 0F SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSET'LS, ASSIGNORTO'AMERICAN STEAM GAUGE &`VALVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON,MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

THERMOSTATIC ARCH FLOW-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application led November 28, 1914. Serial No. 874,549.

To all whom t may Concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States,and resident of. Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and, State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inThermostatic Arch Flow-Regulators, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to a regulator for controlling the flow ofliquid and operated by temperature changes. It is particularly adaptedfor regulating the flow of feed water to boilers, and is also adapted tobe used to control the valves of steam traps. The principle on which theinvention operates is that of an arched member which is variable inlength under changes of temperature .and is fixed at both ends so thatchanges in its length alter the position of the arched portion, ,whichportion is employed to operateI a valve. The thermostatic elementoperating on this principle may be embodied in a variety of forms, such,for

A example, as a tube or conduit adapted to contain the fluid whichaffects the temperature of the tube or as a rod or bar affected byexternal temperatures.

In the drawings I have illustrated some of the forms in which myinvention may be embodied in connection with the application of one ofthese forms to the control of Jfeed water to a boiler.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view with parts broken awayillustrating a form of my invention adapted to regulate thev ow of waterto a boiler. Fig. .2 is a detail view of part of the same on a somewhatenlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the parts shownin Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the valve in a differentposition from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating anapplication of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures to a steamboiler. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modification in which thethermostatic element is a solid bar afl'ected by external temperatures.Fig. 7 is a detail plan partly in section of a modification in which aspring is provided to resist the heat-produced lmovements of thethermostatic element.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the form of the invent-ion yshown in In Fig. 5, the numerals 11,12,and 13 represent such a pipe line leading to a steam boiler 14.. In thisfigure,w15 represents a hand valve in a by-pass of the line adapted tobe used when the automatic regulator is not in operation. The valve 10contains two seating rings 16, 17 with which coperate respectively thevalve disks 18 and 19 of a balanced valve, such disks being connected bydistance rods 20, and the disk 18 being attached to a valve rod 21 bymeans of a nut 22 which surrounds the rod and is screwed into a boss 23on the valve disk, wherein a flange or head 24 on the end 4of the rod iscontained, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

25 represents a frame of sufficiently rigid construction in which thereis mounted the thermostatic element 26. Conveniently the frame 25 is anopen frame of cast iron having substantially parallel members connectedtogether at the ends and intermediately connected by braces 27. In theopposite ends of this frame are mounted nipples 28 and 29, the former ofwhich is internally threaded and is screwed upon one end of thethermostatic element 26, and is containedin a smooth hole in the end ofthe frame. It is secured by a nut 30. One end of a pipe line 31 isscrewed into the nipple 28 and one en d of a second pipe line 32 isscrewed into the nipple 29. The end of the thermostatic member 26adjacent to the nipple 29 registers with the pipe line 32 and is securedto the frame by a double nut 33, which is threaded both externally andinternally. be-

.ing4 screwed upon the outside of the thermostatic element and screwedinto the; tapped passage in the frame which receives it and thenipple29. rIhe thermostatic element 26 is a tube open from end to end andcommunicating with the pipe lines 31 and* 32.- It is longer than thedistance between its end anchorages in the frame and is therefore givenan arched form, as clearly shown in the drawing. It is flattened incross section. having very slight width in the plane of the arch andmuch greater width in a perpendicular plane, whereby it has very littlestiffness in the direction in which it'is required to'bend to increaseor diminish the amount of arching. The central part of the tube, that isthe part most odset from the line joining the ends of the tube, islocated in the line ofthe valve stem 21 and is connected thereto by acoupling 34. Said coupling is formed as a chair open at one side toreceive the tube and having a detachable cover 35 screwed across theopen side and across the tube. Between the cover and the tube is aspring 36 to hold the bottom of the chair up against the tube. This sideof the chair has lugs 37 between which. is pivoted a block 38 which isscrewed upon valve stem 21 and is additionally clamped thereto by ascrew 39 which draws together the sides of the split threaded socket inblock 37 which contains the threaded end of valve stem 21. A collar 40having arms 41 is fixed to the valve Stem and is employed to rotate thelatter so as tovadjust it into the block 37, and thereby position thevalve disks 18 and 19 with respect to the thermostatic element. Afurther adjustment is given by means of the double nut 33, of which theexternal and internal threads have different pitches. This nut can beoperated to displace the end of the tube more or less and thereby offsetthe crown of the-arch more or less from the center line, thusadditionally shifting the valve.

Referring now to Fig. 5 in which the regulator is applied to the feedline of the boiler, the frame 25 is shown in side elevation. This frame,by the way, is provided with an internally threaded boss 42 in whichthere is screwed a plug 43 having a head 44 which bears against the endof a bonnet 45. A nut 46 overlies the head 44 and is threaded on thebonnet and serves to clamp the coupling blockv 46 to the valve in such away that the frame may be adjusted and secured at any desired angle tothe axis of the valve. The coupling block 43 is bored to admit ythevalve stem 21 and has a stufng box 47 to close the outer end of thepassage. The pipe 31 is coupled by a fiexible coupling with a pipe line48 connected to the steam space of boiler, 14, and the pipe 32 issimilarly connected with a line 49 to the water space of the boiler. Thethermostatic tube completes the circuit between the tubes 48 and 49.

The apparatus isl mounted with the axis about which the frame andthermostatic tube are adjustable at approximately the height .of thedesired water level in the boiler. The frame may be adjusted at anydesired angle so that the tube 26-may be completely filled and emptiedby a slight change in the height of water, or may be only partly filledwithin a. wide range of level, de ending on the degree of sensitivenessan allowable fluctuation and level which it is desired to maintain.

It will be readily seen that when the tubecarrying frame is adjusted asshown in Fig. 5, a part of the tube contains water and a part containssteam.v The steam line 48 is inclined toward the boiler so that thewater condensed therein from the steam flows back to the boiler, and thesteam. which enters the thermostatic tube is practically at the sametemperature as that in the boiler. The water contained in the pipe 49and the thermostatic tube, being stagnant is very much cooler than thesteam, wherefore a wide difference in temperature exists between thesteam and the water which act on the tube. When the water falls andsteam enters the -thermostatic tube, the tube is lengthened,

the spring of its arch is increased, and the valve is displaced so as toopen the feed line. A contrary operation takes place when the waterrises in the boiler and enters the thermostatic tube. The adjustments inthe angular position of the frame and tube, may be made so as to get thebest effects under different conditions in regularity of feed. Where thedemand on the boiler is fairly constant the regulator tube will be givena position permitting a constant fiow of feed water sufficient to makeup the withdrawal of steam, and there will be little or no fluctuatiopin the rate of supply and in the water leve Fig. 6 illustrates amodification of the invention in which the thermostatic element is not aconduit for the governing fluid but is immersed in the fluid and actedupon externallv thereby. Here the rod or bar 26a is fixed at its ends ina chamber 50 connected with pipes 51 and 52 which may connect with thesteam and water spaces of the boiler, respectively, or may connect withthe steam line. The line between steam and water occurs in the chamber50, with the effect of changing the length and degree of arching of thethermostatic rod as the water level rises and falls. In other respectsthis form of the invention is essentially the same as described, withsuch minor modifications as required to bring the valve stem adjustr ingdevice into an accessible position outside of the chamber 50, as clearlyenough shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows the application of a spring to return the thermostaticelement andjvalve t0 the valve-closing position when the thermostaticelement is cooled. The spring is here shown as applied to the embodimentshown in Fig. 1, but it is not limited thereto and could equally well beapplied to that shown in Fig..6;. A spring 53 is contained in a casing54.` which is attached to the frame 25 and bears against the coupling'34.

The abutment which takes the reaction of thespring is a plate`55, whichis adjustable 4by means of a screwi56 threaded through the end of thespring housing, whereby the pressure of the spring may be adjusted.

'lhe apparatus in its various forms herein described is exceedinglyeflicient as applied to boiler feeds, and accomplishes the desired endof maintaining the water level at a sufficiently constant point with asufficiently uniform fiow of the feed water and with the use ofapparatus which is exceedingly simple in construction, but is not liableto get out of order, and is much more powerful and positive than theusual float regulator. The essential principles of the invention arealso applicable to the control of a valve for other purposes.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the termtube, as used therein and in the following claims is not restricted asto shape in cross section otherwise than as specifically stated, butisused with the broad meaning of a conduit. So also the term flattenedis not intended as a. restriction to a form in which the faces of thetube are straight in the transverse direction, but is intended toinclude any cross section of which o-ne dimension is longer than theother; in other words, any form which secures the result particularlydescribed.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A valve-controlling apparatus comprising an elongate-d thermostaticelement, meansv for holding the ends of said element rigidly, theintermediate portion of the element being displaced from a straight linejoining said ends and being adapted to'move in consequence oftemperature-induced elongations and contractions in directionstransverse to its length, the element being constructed with itstransverse dimension in the direction of intended movement less than thetransverse dimension in any other direction, whereby it'is enabled toresist deflecting movement in any except the designed directions, andvalve-operating means connected to thev displaced portion of saidelement.

2. A valve-controlling apparatus comprising an elongated thermostaticelement permanently set in arched form, means for holding the endsI ofsaid element fixed with respect to one anothrwhereby Aelongations andcontractions due to temperature changes in said element cause theintermediate portion to be deflected laterally, said element being ofnon-circular cross section with its shortest transverse dimension in theplane of the arch, whereby deflection in any other direction than insuch plane is prevented,

and a valve-operating connection attachedto the deflected part of theelement.

3. A thermostatic valve-controlling apparatus comprising a permanentlyarched tube, a frame in which the ends of said tubes are fixed at adistance apart less than the total length of the tube, said tube beingflattened in cross section and having its longer transverse dimensionperpendicular'to the plane in which it is arched, where-by it isstiffened against deflection" in any other plane than that of the arch,and valve-operating means connected .to the tube at'the l elongationsand contractions of the elementV due to temperature changes cause thepart thereof to which the valve stem is connected to be deflected in thedirection of said valve stem, the thermostatic element having itstransverse dimension in the direction of the valve stem less than thetransverse dimension perpendicular to said stem.

5. The combination of a valve` casing, a valve in said casing having astem protruding through the casing,a holder mounted on the casing andhaving pro-visions for adjustment angularly about its point ofconnection, a nearly straight thermostatic element fixed at its ends tosaid holder and of slightly greater length than the distance between itsends, whereby it forms a fiat arch, and connections between the centralpart of said element and the'valve stem arranged to transmit themovements of such part to the-valve in the directions of opening andclosing movements of the latter.

6. A thermostatic boiler feed regulator comprising a. tube bent into theform of a flat arch, aholder to which the ends of said tube are rigidlyfixed, pipe lines connecting the opposite ends of the tube with thesteam 'space and the water space, respectively, of

a boiler, said tube being mounted at the height of the desired waterlevel in the boiler, a valve in the feed line of the boiler, andconnections for translating the spring of the central p'art of said tubeinto opening and closing movements of said valve.

7. A thermostatic boiler feed regulator comprising a tube bent into theform of a fiat arch, a holder to which the ends of said tube 'arerigidly fixed, pipe lines connecting the opposite ends of the tube withthe steam A space and the water space, respectively, of a boiler, saidtube beings-mounted at the height of the desired -water level in theboiler and the holder'being angularly adjustable about a horizontal axistransverse to the tube, whereby the latter may be set at an angle to thehorizontal, a valve in the feed line ofthe-boiler, and connections fortranslating the spring of the central part of said tube into opening andclosing movements of said valve.

8. A thermostatic valve controller consisting of an arched thermostatictube fixed atfboth ends and adapted to spring in the. middle withtemperature changes, the tube being flattened and having its shortertransverse dimension in the plane of' the arch, means for shifting theanchorage of one of its ends toward and away from the other to vary theamount of the spring, and connections from the middle of said element toa valve.

9. A thermostat comprising an arched element adapted to be elongated andcontracted by temperature changes and having its central portionslightly offset from a straight line joining its ends, said elementbeing flattened with its shorter dimension in the direction of suchoffset, means firmly securing the ends of said element at av fixeddistance apart, whereby the o'set portion is caused to be deflected asthe element is elongated and contracted, and means for transmittingmotion from the offset part of' the element to the member which isoperated thereby.

l0. A thermostat comprising a frame, a flattened tubular thermostaticelement having its opposite ends fixed in said Jframe, and the framehaving passages adapted to permit flow of heat-carrying fluid into oneend and out of the opposite end of said tube, said tube being longerthan the distance between its ends and being sprung between its ends toone side of such straight line, the amount by which the tube is thussprung being a small proportion of the length of the tube, and means fortransmitting motion from the o'set part of the tube to the thingoperated thereby.

ll. In a boiler feed regulator, a valve casing, a valve arranged andmovable hori" zontallv therein having a stem projecting in the line ofits movement, a frame mounted upon said valve casing in a mannerpermitting angular' adjustment about said stem, a tube fixed at its endsin said frame and connected at its central part with said stem, saidtube being longer than the distance between its ends and being arched ina` plane including the valve stem, and conduits communicating with theopposite ends of said tube for conducting steam and water thereinto.

l2. The combination with a` boiler, of a feed water pipe leading to saidboiler, a valve in said feed water pipe movable horizontally and havinga stem projecting in the direction of its movement, a frame mounted onthe casing of said valve in a manner permitting angular adjustment aboutsaid stem as a center, a thermostatic tube fixed at its ends in saidframe and connected at its central portion with the valve stem, the tubebeing arched with its central part offset, from a straight line joiningits ends, inthe direction in which said valve stem extends, and pipesconnecting opposite ends of said tube with the steam space and waterspace of' a boiler, respectively, the valve being located approximatelyat the height of the Water level in the boiler.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK H. HOPKNS.

Witnesses ARTHUR H. BROWN, J. MURPHY.

